Are you ready for the looooong part of the service? Do you have a hard time listening to the sermon yourself? Maybe you should read this and if you fall asleep while reading, I promise, it's okay. Read on from Parenting in the Pew: Guiding your Children into the Joy of Worship by Robbie Castleman on ways to keep sermons from inducing sleepiness for you and your kids!
Chapter 8: Just How Long Was That Sermon?
As a child (okay, as an adult too) I was guilty of falling asleep during the sermon. It didn’t matter how much sleep I had gotten the night before, it just seemed to always happen. However I didn’t know there was a saint for everyone who has ever fallen asleep during church named Eutychus. You can find his story in Acts 20:9-10, 12. He falls asleep during Paul’s sermon, and falls out a window to his death. What luck! Paul brings him back to life and continues preaching. If your kids ever complain about the sermon, remind them of Eutychus and his story and remember that nobody is able to stay awake during every sermon! Concentrating on the sermon is one of the hardest parts of worship for children of all ages. Helping children listen to and learn from the sermon takes persistence, creativity and time. As we help children to listen and understand, we may find more understanding ourselves.
Tuning In Young Children
All people- but especially children- remember stories. Very young children can come away from the sermon with something if their attention is drawn to the illustrative parts of the sermon by “listening to the story.” Jesus told parables or stories because stories are easier to grasp than abstractions. Similarly pastors use illustrations to help make a point they want people to take home.
Some churches have a “children’s sermon” as a way to relate the adult sermon in a kid friendly way. At Revolution and Redemption, the sermons are so colorful and illustrative that it is very easy for anyone to be engaged in listening. To encourage your children to listen, help them identify the images on the screen. Some will be from Bible stories, others could be images to go with a present day story. A child may also be able to listen to the story and color or draw a picture that goes with it at the same time. Don’t be afraid to answer questions your child may ask about the sermon. If it requires a longer answer, ask them to remember it and ask again later. If it’s truly important to them, they won’t forget and they will listen to what you have to say. Many times questions may be answered in the sermon which you can also tune your child to. A great benefit to letting the sermon itself address questions is the way attention spans are lengthened. Children get the idea that to keep listening can be helpful.
Older Children and Sermons
Young people like to be challenged. Low expectations from parents regarding the sermon are rewarded with little participation. When children pay attention to a sermon, they may discover that there is meaning in it just for them.
You may not know this yet, but bribery works wonders! And when paired with questions, you may be able to recreate the sermon each week. With your older kids, try asking three questions drawn from the sermon. If could be a detail in the story, the text reference, a repeated phrase or anything learned by listening closely. After a time, bribery won’t be necessary anymore. Learning to listen and understanding has its own rewards.
New Rules for a New Couch
Your kids may grumble about any new worship rules you are putting into place and the whole family may need reminders and have to work at commitment. Just with a new couch or a new car, the way you do things may change, even though you didn’t do that with the old couch or old car. Doing old things with a new attitude gives refreshing life and deeper meaning to our habits of faith.
Young children learn the reasons behind ritual as they memorize the words. Older children confirm their identity in the family of God by listening and participating in a community that defines what they believe. Teens learn that sermons contain old truth for today’s world. Remember that even though couches and people get older, our relationship with God continues to live and is renewed every day. Finding new ways to do things can help us hear the everlasting faithfulness and mercy of God.
Discussion Questions and Reflections
These questions are available for you to discuss with your spouse or partner, other parents, good friends, or church pastors.
- How would you describe the sermon style of your pastor? Think about how Scripture is explained, illustrated and applied within the sermon. How do you think the sermon contributes to the worship of God as well as the teaching and training of the congregation?
- Think about any difficulties you experience during the sermon in helping your toddler/grade-schooler/teen to listen and learn. Share these with your family or study group. Also share ideas that may be helpful to you and other parents in training children to learn from God's Word.
Scripture Reflection: Romans 10:13-17
Read the entire Scripture selection aloud for personal reflection or as a study group.
How can they hear without someone preaching to them?... Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. (vv. 14,17)
How does the sermon affect your spiritual growth in Christ? What can you do in a service of worship to better "hear" the preached Word?
How can personal or small-group study of Scripture during the week help you learn the Word of God? How can the daily hearing of Scripture in the home help your children live a life of faith?
Pray for your pastor as he/she prepares the sermon for the congregation. Pray for your family to have listening ears and teachable hearts to learn the Word of God.
